A Cross Stands On The Stage
by Akky-chan
Summary: The events of the war, taken to the world in the form of a deeply thought-out play. Post-War fic & very vague spoilers. Slight fun at the end involving Kanda and chocolates, & my own version of the end. T because I dont think it's K. literally drama


A crowd was gathering

**Made forever ago. Don't flame me for anything inaccurate. It was MEANT to be slighty inaccurate, okay? Okay.**

**Dunt own nuthin'**

A crowd was gathering. A boy in a pumpkin head stood atop two blown up balls, juggling torches and knives and anything thrown too him. His suit was simple, black vest and pants, with a formal white shirt underneath, a red and black ribbon 'round his neck. He drew most of the crowd, children dragging their parents along.

"Come one! Come all! The Demon's Theater's first performance of the play, 'The Innocent Ones'!" A girl in all black, dressed as a witch, called to the crowd.

"My father is dead," The boy on stage spoke. He had white hair and a scar down his left eye, sporting a black cloak that cons tasted everything else about his pale figure. His left arm was wrapped so no one could see it. "He was murdered," The audience gasped right on cue, "Three years ago, my father died twice. The first by someone else's hand, and the first time he reached the grave. Later I resurrected and killed him," Murmurs swept the audience, this play was getting interesting...

"Before he died again, my father cursed me to see suffering, and then told me he loved me. I didn't want to kill him that night, I only wanted to see him alive, for what can a child do alone on the streets in London? I was given the chance to bring him back and thus, did. The man who gave me that offer was large with a grin plastered on his face. Ever smiling, he is the villain in this play, writing the script of mankind's demise. I was lucky to escape only with a curse, others were made into puppets instead," the crowd was deathly silent as they listened to this grim plot, "At twelve years old, minutes after committing murder, a man came to me and told me I had a chance to atone. This man was the opposite of the other as far as I knew. He was skinny and spoke in a cold tone, he also had a companion, a small golden ball which was strangely comforting to me. He was nothing like the man in his hat. For the second time a night, I took an offer, and here I stand today. I save the lamentable by doing them away. And now as the great Shakespeare said in his most tragic play, 'I am fortunes fool', let me repeat that today, for fate has shaped my paths, however..." the audience listened intently for the boy's next words, as he was selling quite an act, the audience was handing onto his every movement and word, "It was I who chose to walk that path fortune had given me."

The applause was thunderous. The boy took a low bow and backed offstage. "That was brilliant Allen," the girl who had been the witch outside whispered to the boy. She was now in a black uniform with a dangerously short miniskirt, even by miniskirt standards.

"What's next?" Allen asked hurriedly.

"I think Komui's doing the Order's monologue, and then we get into the actual story."

Indeed, from behind the curtain, they could hear Komui's voice echoing throughout the silent hall. Allen was a really amazing actor, Lenalee had a feeling that even if everyone else completely screwed up, Allen would be able to steal the show back anyway.

"In the depths of Noah's heart," Komui's voice told the story of Noah's Ark, "Fourteen children were born of his emotions. One emotion passed onto another person, passed down through Noah's genes, the descendants of Noah awakened and felt only that emotion they were given. One Noah, the Musician, betrayed the clan. The Writer of the Script of Demise killed him. Only thirteen descendants remain now, and they live among us. Their powers are their own, and for the most part, unknown, but they hate us, they plot our demise. The boy told you a tale of a man in a hat. The Earl of Millennium, or the Thousand Year Duke. A battle has raged thousands of years before the Three Days of Darkness, and the flooding of the world. The battle of Noah was only the beginning, but we are here, fighting, and sworn on the Cross, people are here who can save us. The Apostles of A God, they wield their hearts and Innocence, the Crystal of God. Though far fetched and unlikely this story may be, it is the truest tale we have to tell. Now come and listen closely please, this boy who's tale you're 'bout to hear lives still today, we hold him dear. So don't despair no matter the fear, for we're fighting still, there Earl who's here," Komui did not wait for applause, but simply bowed and backed off the stage as three men took the spotlight.

On the right, a man with a mask that covered half his face, burning red hair falling far past his shoulders. A black cloak around him and a wineglass in his hand. Top hat on his head.

The left, a fat man with a wide grin and pointed ears like a rabbit's. Round glasses on the bridge of his nose didn't conceal glowing gold eyes. He sported a long white trench coat and held a pink umbrella in his hand. Top hat on his head.

In the center, the boy who had given the opening speech. He was in clothes like for a piano performance, a bluish cloak and black pants. His silver eyes stood out in the midst of all the black and white. His skin, as observed before, was exceptionally pale and his hair, purest white, was not concealed by the top hat with small flattened silver pieces ornamentally carved on one side. His left arm was no longer wrapped, but the bandages were thrown meaninglessly at his feet, reviling an ugly black arm that looked almost tattooed with a emerald cross embedded in the back of his palm.

"Gentals, why did you start this war? Gain? Power? Speak now, for innocents are being killed as we speak here! A moment wasted is a soul I could not save!" The boy spoke. The two others remained still as he moved across the stage. "We humans are foolish, we may throw a child out because of the smallest defect, or we may fight a war for ourselves, not others. Why have I been brought into this? Was I born with the destiny of a doomed soldier? Or was I to simply wander the world 'till my calling came with this thing for a limb! No matter how long I wait for change, I must be the one who sets it in motion, and I see sorrow, why?" The boy waved his blackened hand over his scared eye. When he pulled his hand away, his eye had been covered with two spinning discs, a monster's eye struggling to get loose, the sight made the audience gasp. "The ones I protect will be those like me, the damned,"the boy said. His speech was powerful, many people shuddered but nodded their heads a little at the same time.

"My family now will be the ones like me, damned, set for hell unless I can help it. I do not care if I become a monster, I do not care if the others become monsters, I do not care as long as we are monsters together, or apart, for I can handle hell," the boy turned his back to the audience and slowly began to walk back to the curtain. "After living, death must be the greatest comfort..." he paused and turned back to face the audience again between the two men, "I had always like the darker fairy tales better anyway." He vanished behind the curtain and the other two men began to move.

"Where is the boy Cross?" The fatter man asked, pacing the stage opposite.

"I dunno," Cross said, then smirked. "I left him in India, he's probably made it to the Order by now..."

"Why did you not go with him?" The fat man asked.

"I hate that place," Cross said, still smirking, he took a sip of the wine in his hand.

"You hate the place you live? How can that be so? Do you truly hate the exorcists? If so Marian, Cross, perhapses you would give consent to change? Your innocence, I assure you, would be of no fear to you any longer, and the world, yours to own!" the fat man offered, smiling wider than ever.

"Who ever said I was afraid?" Cross asked, "And wanting to rule the world would leave me with no room to expand, the answer is always to be 'no', Earl,"Cross drank a bit more wine and pulled out his gun, a large, intricately carved and strangely beautiful revolver.

"The requirement for the Ark suffered at your hand for three years now Cross," the Earl said cheerfully, "And now you just hand him over to the Order? From India to London? You must have confidence in him!" The Earl crackled.

"The player could have been yours," Cross said smiling, "but that day you killed his father you didn't see him for what he was, and that my friend was your mistake, and so, I give him to the Order as a trained exorcist... as for India to London... he's had to travel farther with debt collectors on his heels, the boy will make it, that I know," Cross laughed, but kept his weapon aimed at where the Earl's heart should be.

The Earl laughed too, "Another time Cross, I await the day I meet your student!"

With that, both men turned and vanished behind the curtain.

With every passing act, the audience grew more and more interested.

"My brother saved me from insanity, the Order is my home now," the Chinese girl said in the alleyway.

"The 'Destroyer Of Time'?" the redhead laughed, "If we have to trust the fate of the world to someone as naive as him, we might as well be dead right now!"

The tall handsome man paced the stage, his dark curly hair and gray skin making him stand out amongst the lights of the stage. "So the Earl bids me kill so many... and few here are exorcists! Meanwhile I lost almost all my items to the cheat on the train, and Eaze almost gave his treasure away! At least the pay will be good this time..."

"He's dead! People die in war, so accept it!" Lavi yelled at the broken-hearted girl. "He left us, so leave him! We have a mission to complete, and he died so we would be able to!" he broke a piece of the set, then his mentor dragged him away.

"Do you think you are one of them? You are not an exorcist, only a bookman. You know that."

"I have to keep going!" Allen yelled, banging his fist against the wall. "I promised! I have to get back to them! I have to stay alive for them and protect them and save them!i I don't care about God anymore!/i"

"There is a way... Allen Walker, that you can return to the battlefield..."

"Big brother... I'm sorry..." Lenalee stage whispered. A crash came from backstage.

"Head officer! Head officer! Are you alright?"

"Y-yes... I'm fine, I just felt a little... dizzy.. suddenly..."

"Well then get back to work!"

"Yes... Lenalee, what's wrong?"

"I am so sorry big brother. So sorry." Eshi crackled with laughter.

"Every night I wake up and my eye hurts... the souls of Akuma enter my mind and crawl around my skull... And tonight it is unbelievably strong... Lenalee!?"

The play wound on and on, until it was finally in the final act. Tears had been shed before it was even halfway done. The crowd was in a stunned silence.

"Allen Walker..." the Earl crackled, "How good it is to see you again!" he swung his sword and Allen raised his opposite in defense.

"You took away our lives..." Allen muttered in the midst of the battle. "You killed Lenalee's world, Kanda's heart, Lavi's dreams... You make the Akuma... DIE FILTHY BASTARD!"

The battle dragged on for more than three minutes, and slowly, a circle of Exorcists formed around the two. Lenalee, Lavi, and Kanda all in the plainest view. Just when the Earl had finally forced Allen onto his knees, the teen jumped forward and stuck his sword where the Earl's heart should be. All the way through, with the Earl's sword sticking out of Allen too. Shrieks from the exorcists sounded loudly and were silenced at the exact same time. Time itself had frozen. No one moved, no sound came out of their open mouths. They were just there, and as they stood, Allen slowly got up and walked towards the edge of the stage.

"The battle is done, Mana is at peace. The Akuma are slain and yet I hide guilt still," Allen told the audience. "Two promises I kept, but the third, I can not keep, not now," he hung his head, "For seven thousand years more I'll sleep, till another battle like this comes once more to the evening. And for seventeen years this Christmas, I have been telling them, 'Goodnight, you will sleep well once more', and now, I wish more than anything that sleep come to me. And so, in the words of Shakespeare, the fourty-ninth bookman, 'iIf we shadows have offended, think but this and all is mended, that you merely slumbered here, while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding than a dream. Gentles, do not reprehend, if you pardon, we will mend, and as I earned an honest buck, if we have some unearned luck, now to 'scape the serpent tongue, we have made amend 'ere long. And else the exorcist a liar call, so goodnight unto you all. Give me your hands if we be friends, and Walker shall restore amends./i" Allen gave a deep bow, but did not exit the stage. Instead, he turned back and looked at the exorcists, still standing there, at the sight of the battle. Kanda slowly stood up and took Allen's place facing the audience.

"The Walker brat would always keep his promises, even if he said a thousand times he would fail," he turned around and Lavi took his spot.

"No matter what, he would always act. He didn't think about what the affect of him would be until it was too late. That's the kind of person he was. Do it now, regret it later." Lenalee took his place. She didn't speak for a moment, but rather, had a small smile creep over her face.

"He always loved to gamble, you know..." Allen turned around and reclaimed his place at center stage.

"And you know what? I always won somehow!" suddenly, the audience broke into applause. Everyone stood up and clapped and cheered as loudly as they could, filling the hall with deafening noise. The actors backstage all filed out and earned their share of applause too.

Half running, all the actors lined up in the hallway, Lavi, Kanda, Lenalee and Allen as far away from the theater doors as they could be, and still, and onslaught of paeople came to shake every their hands. Allen alone got about ten bouquets of flowers, matched only by Lenalee, who got fifteen. Lavi was given three different books about history and poor Kanda got chocolate. The three gasped in disbelief when he ate some that were given by a pretty young girl who identified herself as Alice.

Finally, the people thinned out and only a few remaining audience members tried to make a long conversation with some of the actors. A young women with two children, one in his mid teens, the other barely ten trotted up to Allen as he was about to turn around and leave the threater.

"That was the most amazing performance I have ever seen!" she said quickly. Allen smiled and said thank you, then proceeded to try and leave. "Oh, um, and I think that it's done my children good to see it too," she said in an attempt at conversation. The fourteen year old nodded to show he had enjoys and maybe understood a little of it. "Where did you get the idea for the story, Mister um..."

Allen smiled at her, "I'm Allen Walker," the lady stood a little dumbfounded.

"The same name as the main character?" she asked.

"Yes,"

"That's... unusual..." she said slowly. Allen laughed a little.

"The girl is Lenalee, Lavi's the redhead, Kanda is the one who's eating... oh my god, Kanda's eating chocolate..." Allen said, pointing to each of them in turn.

"T-the same name as who they're playing?" the lady asked. Allen nodded his head.

"Actually, we didn't make that up," Allen smiled. "All of that really happened. The Akuma war, my father dying, Tyki trying to rip my heart out..." Allen grinned sheepishly, "But we had to replace people who died..."

"B-but at the end..." the lady stuttered, "iYou/i died..."

Lenalee spoke up from beside her. "We thought he died. He came so close to dying we really thought he had died, and then he just suddenly woke up and said, 'I'm home'..."

"I was seventeen when that happened," Allen said. "I'm eighteen tomorrow..." Lenalee and Lavi nodded from beside him. Kanda continued to eat his chocolate, and the lady smiled and ushered her children out.

Allen looked dreamily out the window, into the falling snow, when a familiar 'vree' awoke him from his thoughts. Lavi and Lenalee pirked up, and Kanda stopped eating.

Allen smirked, covering his left eye. "Think this is the last one, guys?" Lavi replied.

"You never know, but what the hell..." He stood up and grabbed his hammer. "It's not gonna see tomorrow!" Lenalee nodded and activated her boots, Kanda stood up slowly and unsheathed Mugen.

Allen activated his arm as the demon broke through the roof. "Good Evening Akuma," he said, then he walked forward, his white cape flapping peacefully in the wind and snow. "Sleep well," with that, he ran forward and lit another candle of hope in the world. There was one less who needed salvation, and he was leading everyone ahead into the next hopeful age.

"Good morning," was what he would say then.


End file.
